Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-01-20


RosCoMAoN. alleging that the
original grant was destroyed by fire. And
whyi
1t seemed there was a limit to Miss Car
mems initiative talent. Admirable as it was,
it did not reach to the reproduction of that
official seal, which would have been a neces-
sary appendage to the governors grant. But
there were letters written ON stamped paper
by Governor Micheltorena to himself, Gar.
cia, and to Miguel, and to Miguers father, all
of which were duly signed by the sign manual
and rubric Of Mrs. Governor Micheltorena
Carmen de Haro. And then there was
"paro" evidence, and plenty of it; witnesses
who remembered everything about it
namely, Manuel, Miguel and the all-recollect-
ing De Haro; here were details, poetical and
suggestive; and Dame Quicklyish, as when
his late excellency, sitting not "by sea-coal
fire." but with aguardente and cigaIros, had
sworn to him, the ex-ecclesastical Miguel.
that he should grant, and had granted,
Garcia's request There were clouds
OF witnesses, conversations, letters and
records glib and pat to the oc-
casion. In brief, there was nothing
wanted but the seal Of ofhise1cellency. The only
copy of that was in the possession Of rival
school Of renaissant art and the restoration of
antiques then doing business before the land
commission.
And yet the claim was rejected! Having
lately recommended two separate claimants
TO patent for the same land the land com.
mission became cautious and conservative.
Roscommon was at first astounded, then
indignant, and then warlike-he was for an
"appale to onst."
With the readers previous knowledge of
Roscommon's disposition this may seem
somewhat inconsistent, but there are certain
natures to whom litigation has all the excite
ment of gambling and it should be borne in
mind that this was his first lawsuit. So that
his lawyer, Mr.. Saponaceous Wood, found
him in that belligerent mood TO which coun-
sci are obliged to hypocritically bring all the
sophistries of their profession. "Of course you
have your right toan appeal but calm your
self, my dear sir, and consider The case was
presented strongly, the evidence overwhelm-
ing on our side, but we happened to be fight
ing previous decisions of the land commission
that had brought them into trouble; SO that
if Micheltorena had himself appeared in
court and testified to his giving you the
grant, it would have made no diiference-no
Spanish grant had a show then, nor will it
have for the next six months. You see, my
dear sir, the government sent out one Of its
big Washington lawyers to look into this
business, and he reported frauds, sir frauds,
in majority Of the Spanish claims. And
why, sira whyi He was bought, sir, bought
body and soul-by the ring"
"And fwhot's the ringr asked his client
sharply.
"The ring is-ahemi a combination of un-
principled but wealthy persons to defeat the
ends of justice"
"And sure. fwhots the ring to do wild me
grant as that thaving Mexican gave me as
the collatherals for the board he was OWN
mel Eh, mind that nowl"
"The ring, my dear sir, Is the other side.
1t is-ahem always the other side"
"And why the divel haven't we ring. too!
And amt ! payin' ye five hundred dollars
and the divel of ring ye have, at all, at all!
Fwhot am payin ye fur, eh?'
"That judicious expenditure of money"
began Mr.. Wood, "outside of actual disburse-
ments, may not be of infinite service to you
am not prepared to deny-but-"
Look ye, Mr.. Sappy Wood, its the 'appale'
want, and the grant III have, more betoken
ms the old woman's har-rut and me own is set
on it entoirely. Get me the land and I'll give
ye the half of it-and it's bargain"
"But, my dear sir, there are some rules in
our profession-technical though they may
be-
"The divel fly away wild yer profession.
Sure is it better nor me own? IL I've risked
me provisions and me whisky, that cost me
solid goold in Frisco, on that thafe Garcia's
claim, bedad the loikes of We can risk yer
law"
"Well," said Wood, with an awkward
smile, al suppose that deed for one half, on
the consideration of friendship, my dear sir,